Saturday, December 6, 2008

As promised, here is my multi grain bread recipe. The bread looks pretty much the same as when I posted before, so I am reusing the picture. My kids love this toasted in the morning and have given up their regular diet of cereal.

INGREDIENTS

Starter

- 1 tbsp active dry yeast

- 1 1/2 cups warm water

- 2 cups whole wheat bread flour

- 1 1/2 cups 7 (or 12) grain cereal

- water

Dough

- 1 tbsp yeast

- 1/2 cup water

- 1/2 cup rye flour

- 1/2 cup kamut flour

- cereal from above, drained

- 3-4 cups white bread flour

- 1 tbsp salt

METHOD

1. The night before you want to make the bread, whisk yeast into warm water, then whisk in flour until smooth in a large bowl. Cover and set aside over night. Also, place cereal in a bowl and cover with water. Cover and let sit over night.

2. To make the dough, whisk yeast into the water, add starter, rye and kamut flours, and cereal (after being well-drained in a fine mesh sieve). Add 3 cups of the bread flour and the salt, then bring together into a rough dough. Turn out onto the counter top and add enough of the final cup of flour (I never use much) to make a slightly tacky dough. Knead for 10 mins, until smooth.

3. Place in a large bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Punch down, and press down/stretch on the counter top into a rectangle. Fold like an envelope, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat. Shape into a ball and return to the bowl. Let rise until doubled.

4. Cut dough into 2 pieces and shape into two loaves. Cover and let rise until almost doubled.

5. Heat oven to 450 degrees with a pizza stone on the middle rack. Place a cast iron pan on the bottom rack,and get some water boiling in a kettle. Transfer loaves to a peel dusted with cornmeal and slash tops with a razor. Slide loaves onto the stone, and pour 1 cup of water into the pan. Bake for 10 mins.

6. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and remove cast iron pan. Bake for 25-30 mins more, until crust is a deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Here's a suggestion....find someone who homebrews beer, and ask them for a batch of "spent grain" from beer making (especially if they are making a wheat beer!). The result is the yummiest bread ever! Just dry the spent grain a bit and then pop it in the freezer if you're not planning to make bread right away. It'll keep. I make bread whenever my hubby makes beer. Every batch is a little different, depending on the grains used in the beer. But every one is great!

Hey VeganDad...love your blog..and this bread just looks stunning...Quick question: which blend of multigrain cereal do you use or do you make your own combination?Well wishes for your upcoming book and bakery business

My husband and I really appreciate your blog! If one of us asks where a recipe is from, the answer is often, "veg (pronounced "veeg")dad." Question about flours: Is there a significant difference between whole wheat flour and whole wheat bread flour? Same with white flour and white bread flour. We may begin our bread making adventures and give up buying sprouted loaves by the case...-KT

what could u use in place of the cereal? I can't seem to find whole wheat bread flour...how badly will it turn out if I use regular whole wheat flour? can I substitute spelt for kamut? couldn't find it.

tania,You can make your own cereal mix. Get some oats, sunflower seeds, millet, etc. I have seen recipes that use cooked brown rise as well. If using regular flour, add some vital wheat gluten to compensate (about 1 tbsp per 2 cups).

tania,You can make your own cereal mix. Get some oats, sunflower seeds, millet, etc. I have seen recipes that use cooked brown rise as well. If using regular flour, add some vital wheat gluten to compensate (about 1 tbsp per 2 cups).

I have the same question as Ali about the difference between dry active yeast in the starter and just yeast in the dough. If they're different, do I need to make the yeast or is it available at the market with the dry active yeast? Thank you.